Fire Safety for the New Year

12/19/2017 (Permalink)

The New Year is almost upon us and many of us resolve to make improvements in our lives. Most often, those improvements are focused on our health or finances, its also a great time to review your personal emergency planning. Here are a few tips to help ensure your family is better prepared for fires going into 2018:

• Test your smoke alarms! The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has found that three out of five home fire deaths are a result from fires in properties that did not have working smoke alarms. Remember to test your smoke alarms once a month!
• Smoke alarms have a shelf-life. Check the date on your smoke alarms – they typically need to be replaced every seven to ten years.
• Never remove the battery in your smoke alarm without immediately replacing it, especially if your alarms are not connected to your home's electrical service panel. Disabling a smoke alarm or removing the battery can be a fatal mistake.
• Cooking is one of the main causes of home fires each and every year. Never leave cooking food unattended and turn the handles of pots and pans on stoves inward to avoid accidents. Always be sure to make sure your sleeves (or other loose fitting clothing) are out of the way while cooking.
• Don’t use appliances with frayed or damaged cords.
• Don’t place space heaters too close (within three feet of) curtains, clothing, rugs, furniture, and other combustible surfaces. Never leave space heaters running unattended. Always consider using heaters with automatic shut-offs.
• Develop an emergency escape plan. It’s important to ensure everyone in the home knows what to do in case of a fire. Develop a fire escape plan with your family and practice that plan at least twice a year.
• Teach your children basic fire safety tips: Stay as low to the ground as possible, test a door to see if it’s hot before grabbing the doorknob, and know at least two ways out of every room in case of an emergency.

Should you suffer fire damage this winter, contact SERVPRO of Bangor/Ellsworth at (207)947-0400!  Let us help you make it "Like it never even happened."